Recent Articles

A Policy Response to Islamic State Extremist Fighter Battlefield Migration Dr Robert J Bunker, Dr. Alma Keshavarz Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This monograph by Dr. Robert J. Bunker and Dr. Alma Keshavarz examines the important subject of extremist fighter migration by first providing an overview of the Islamic State’s pedigree along with its precaliphate and transcaliphate territorial strategies, postcaliphate strategic potential, and demographic information. These discussions are followed by problem identification related to returning extremist fighters, inflows into Syria and Iraq, outflows to the United States and new battlefields overseas, and the special case of women and children."

Rise and Fall? The Rise and Fall of ISIS in Libya Dr Azeem Ibrahim Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This report argues exploiting the military and political defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Libya to eradicate the group completely from the country and weaken its capacity to act elsewhere in North and sub-Saharan Africa is now possible. In addition, the Libyan conflict continues to have consequences for the political stability of Europe via the pressure the migration flows are putting on the political infrastructure of the continent. In turn, this instability has implications for the United States’ European strategy, both insofar as commercial interests are concerned and in US capacity to contain Russian assertiveness on the edges of NATO territory."

An Army Transformed: USINDOPACOM Hypercompetition and US Army Theater Design Prof William G Braun III, Mister Nathan P Freier, Mr John Schaus Document by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This study emerged in an environment marked by increased senior- and working level anxiety about the American military position in the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) area of responsibility (AOR), as well as a third attempt in two decades to refocus American defense and security strategy on the USINDOPACOM theater."

Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL) 2021–2022 COL Steve Cunningham KSIL Document by US Army War College, USAWC Strategic Studies Institute, School of Strategic Land power, US Army War College Press "The 2018 National Defense Strategy sounded a clear call for the Nation’s armed services to prepare for an increasingly intense and, at times, chaotic period of competition with a variety of state and non-state adversaries. The Army responded to this call by accelerating its refinement of a Multi-Domain operating concept as highlighted in a revised Army Vision, Strategy, Campaign Plan, Modernization Strategy, and other key documents published throughout 2018 and 2019."

Striking the Balance: US Army Force Posture in Europe, 2028—A Study Sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of the Army COL J.P. Clark, Dr C. A. Pfaff Document US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This study takes on one of the most difficult strategic decisions the Army faces today: how to plan for an uncertain and volatile future. In the context of Army force posture in Europe, these decisions are complicated by limited resources and by an evolving adversary that can employ asymmetric means to neutralize the impact of investments the Army makes today. In an effort to ensure Army capabilities endure over the long term and prevail in the event of conflict, the Army is implementing multidomain operations (MDO), which describes how the Army can compete with or, if necessary, defeat, an adversary across all domains, as part of the Joint Force. Conceived this way, MDO is more than simply Joint operations. MDO describes how the Army will fight alongside the other services in the air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains."

Theater Army Role in Multi-Domain Operations - An Integrated Research Project Gregory L. Cantwell Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The USAWC is responsible for educating the next generation of senior leaders on the application of strategic Landpower. This cannot be accomplished without providing a thorough understanding of the roles of the theater army. This integrated research project provides a foundational understanding of the challenges facing the Joint force in applying the MDO concept to the future operating environment and the science of how the Army prepares for large scale combat operations at the strategic level."

Carlisle Compendia Allied Space Training Edition Dr Larry D Miller, Colonel Bryan Shrank, Colonel Scott Emmel, Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Miller Document by US Army War College "U.S. national strategy documents highlight the increasing significance of the space domain for today’s warfighters and the importance of working with our international allies and partners in that realm. In this issue, we outline and propose an Army course focused on integrating space operations into land warfare. The proposed Combined Space Officer Course (CSOC) will strengthen alliances and partnerships, increase lethality, and build greater deterrence. "

Death by a Thousand Cuts: Weakening an Insurgency through a National Reconciliation Program Three Case Studies: Malaya, Vietnam, and Iraq Dr. Raymond A. Millen PKSOI Paper by US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "Death by a Thousand Cuts explores the application of national reconciliation programs to undermine insurgencies from within and lay the groundwork for stability in the post-conflict period. Dr. Raymond A. Millen presents three case studies—Malaya, South Vietnam, and Iraq—for his examination of national reconciliation programs. Such programs have received little attention after the Vietnam conflict, so this study provides insights of particular interest for US assistance to countries suffering from an insurgency."

by Lt Col Nicholas Delcour (USAF), Lt Col Louis Duncan (USAF), Mr Stephen Frahm (DOS), CDR Patrick Lancaster (USN), Lt Col Lance Vann (USAF). Under the Direction of: Prof Kristan Wheaton; Publication by Estimation of Technology Convergence by 2035 This comprehensive analysis from students at the U.S. Army War College’s Futures Seminar explores the anticipated convergence of various technologies – including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum technology – by 2035, highlighting their potential military applications and implications for national security. The authors, a diverse team of military and government professionals, utilize structured analytic techniques to project significant technological advancements and their synergistic effects, emphasizing the critical need for strategic foresight in military planning and operations.